Cat shot with air rifle
Oxford, EN (UK)Incident Date: Friday, Nov 28, 2008
Disposition: Open
Suspect(s) Unknown - We need your help!
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
A pet owner whose cat was shot at point blank range with an air rifle has called for a clampdown on the weapons.
Kate Hart was already coming to terms with the disappearance of her cat Rudy, when her other cat, Crunch, came hobbling into her home in Headington, Oxford.
Crunch, a one-year-old black cat, had been shot in her back leg - the pellet tore through the muscle and shattered the bone before coming out the other side.
Ms Hart, of William Kimber Crescent, now fears her missing cat may have been attacked and killed, and has warned people to be vigilant.
She said: "There is obviously someone out there who thinks this is fun, but I think that they are scum.
"I wouldn't put it past whoever did this to do it again. What they don't realise is that a moment's fun for them has caused misery for me, my family and our cat.
"Crunch was badly injured and the vet told us that judging by the damage caused, whoever did this fired from point blank range.
"Her bone was jutting out making it hard for her to walk and she was pretty distressed."
Ms Hart said she now has little hope of finding tabby Rudy, also one, safe and well.
"Having gone on to the Internet, I've been amazed at how easy it is to get hold of air rifles and how little control there is over them," she added.
"If this is how people are going to use them, then I think there needs to be more regulation."
Rudy went missing on Friday, November 28, and Crunch was shot two days later.
"It's the not knowing what's happened that is making it worse for us. My 13-year-old son Dan has been extremely upset by all this," she said.
"But perhaps not knowing is better than finding out she was attacked and killed."
Crunch is now recovering, having had a metal rod inserted in her leg. The treatment cost Ms Hart £1,200.
A police spokesman confirmed they were investigating the attack and the RSPCA had also called door-to-door in the neighbourhood to help with the investigation.
A spokesman for the RSPCA said: "This sort of attack is taken extremely seriously and anyone found guilty of causing suffering to an animal could face a maximum fine of £20,000 and six months in prison."
Anyone who has found a tabby cat in the Headington area is asked to call the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999, quoting reference code 515 November 30.
And anyone with information about the attack on Crunch is asked to call the police on 08458 505505 or speak anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111. If you have information on this case, please contact:
RSPCA
0300 1234 999
Case UpdatesThe owner of a cat recovering from an air rifle attack was devastated when a neighbour found another of her pets shot dead.
The RSPCA has put up a £250 award in a bid to catch the people responsible for the attacks.
In December, the Oxford Mail reported that Kate Hart's one-year-old black cat, Crunch, had been shot at point blank range with an air rifle and had to have a metal rod inserted into her leg.
Ms Hart, from William Kimber Crescent, in Headington, was still harbouring hopes of finding her tabby cat Rudy, also one, who had been missing since November.
But last week a neighbour called to tell Ms Hart they had found a dead cat.
She said: "They thought they had found Rudy under some leaves in the garden when they were tidying up. Rudy was chipped so we were able to identify her.
"The RSPCA took her to a vet for a post mortem, which has shown that she was shot twice by an air rifle."
RSPCA x-rays showed two pellets lodged in the cat's body, one near to the spine and one closer to the hip.
Douglas Davidson, Oxfordshire RSPCA inspector, said: "The pellet that was removed from Crunch's leg and the two pellets that were found in Rudy have been taken as evidence and we will be working with the police to see if there is any way we can identify who is doing this.
"This is a serious incident. It is an extremely sad state of affairs when people are too scared to let their cats out of their homes."
Shooting at a cat with an air rifle can lead to a 12-month prison sentence and a fine of up to £20,000.
In Oxfordshire there were seven reported shootings in 2007 and eight in 2008.
An anonymous donor contacted the RSPCA and offered the £250 reward for information leading to an arrest.
Ms Hart also has three other cats, Smokey, Cleo, and Dappidy - named by her 13-year-old son Daniel.
She said: "I've told my son, and we're both just very concerned for the rest of our cats.
"It's frightening to think there are people out there who would do this. I want people to know that we are not going to stand for this. I hope that after seeing this people will come forward with information.
"More importantly I hope the people who have done this will see how much hurt and upset they have caused us and never, ever do it to anyone again."
Police are investigating both shootings. Anyone with any information should call Pc Nathan Budd at Cowley Police Station on 08458 505505. | Source: Oxford Mail - Jan 16, 2009
Update posted on Jan 16, 2009 - 1:06AM |
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